40-year-old Cazorla: Wenger gave him a one-year contract extension before the surgery. After 11 surgeries, Achilles tendon necrosis almost caused amputation.

Recently, the 40-year-old Cazorla accepted an exclusive interview with "L'Equipe" and talked about the serious injuries he suffered at Arsenal.

On October 19, 2016, Cazorla was substituted in the Champions League match against Ludogorets. It was 668 days before he stepped on the court again.

Talking about the root cause of the injury,

Cazorla said it can be traced back to a friendly match between Spain and Chile in 2013: I received a blow on my foot, which resulted in a fractured foot bone. From that point on, I started getting cortisol injections to suppress the pain. Over time, the pain becomes unbearable. I was almost crying playing football, I wasn't having any fun. When I was replaced that day, I said to the doctor: That's it, we have to find a solution.

Talking about surgery and Wenger's care

Cazorla recalled a conversation before the first operation in Sweden: Wenger called me over: "I know you are going to have surgery tomorrow, and your contract expires at the end of this season. I have prepared a one-year contract extension for you. Go with peace of mind and focus on your recovery." I will never forget this move full of great human care.

What's more, a few weeks of recovery turned into a two-year layoff. The skin was severely damaged due to multiple injections. The skin tissue has become necrotic and cannot heal. Questions came one after another. During the surgery, I contracted a bacterial infection, and that’s when the ordeal really began. They operated on me every month, eleven times in total, without knowing what the problem was. When I returned to Spain for a second opinion, it was discovered that 11 centimeters of my Achilles tendon was necrotic.

Talk about facing the risk of amputation

Cazorla: In England, doctors told me that the entire leg from the kneecap down was at risk of amputation. My Spanish doctor reassured me that I was often said to be underestimating the true severity of the injury. But in the end, this “denial” helped me stay optimistic.

The examination showed that the skin on my left arm was the most suitable (skin graft). And there happens to be a tattoo of my daughter on that spot. As a result, the other half of the pattern is now on my feet. Today, I smile at this little mark left by fate.

Cazorla shows the arm used for skin transplantation

During the long years of recuperation, the most uncomfortable thing was not the injury itself, but the loneliness.

Cazorla: I was undergoing treatment in Spain, and it was very painful to be separated from my family members who stayed in London. When they finally moved in with me, the children had become accustomed to my absence and were surprised to see me saying, "Dad, why are you at home?" The realization that they had tacitly accepted that I was no longer a permanent member of the family was overwhelming.